Breakfast Recipe: Broiled Grapefruit with Cinnamon Sugar

I have to admit that the pairing of grapefruit and cinnamon does not immediately make sense. At least, it didn't to me. There was something about the tartness of the grapefruit and the distinct spice of the cinnamon — I was dubious. But then I finally tried it, and hello! This is my favorite breakfast dish right now.

For a long time I was also dubious about the idea of hot grapefruit. It just sounded... odd. But again, I have been made to see the light.

This is such a simple way to add some warmth and freshness to your breakfast. You simply sprinkle a grapefruit half with cinnamon sugar, and broil it until the flesh of the sweet-tart grapefruit swells up, nearly bursting with the hot juice inside, and the sugar turns into a gentle crust.

The warmth brings out all the juiciness of the grapefruit, and the tart flavor. Every bite has that juicy taste, along with a bit of sweetness from the sugar.

I really love this dish; do you ever make it for breakfast, or for a quick snack?

This barely needs a recipe, of course, but for the sake of documenting just how I do mine, here's a quick rundown.

Broiled Grapefruit with Cinnamon Sugar

Heat the oven to broil. Cut the grapefruit in half across its equator. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut around the inside edge of the grapefruit half. Then make small, deep cuts next to each segment's membrane, to loosen the fruit from the membrane. (If you have serrated grapefruit spoons, this step is less necessary.)

Sprinkle each half with cinnamon sugar and put in an oven-safe dish, sugar-side up. Broil for 15 minutes, or until the top turns quite brown and caramelized. Let cool for 5 minutes and eat while warm.